Although he had eaten with Kyojuro before, Kyojuro only ate less than ten bowls at that time, but now there are more than twenty bowls on the table.
(;one_one)
Musashi walked a little closer, then said again, "Rengoku-sensei, I passed the Final Selection."
"Woooooo!"
Kyojuro suddenly turned his head and shouted, startling Musashi.
After a while, Kyojuro finished eating, and Musashi told him about the Final Selection.
"Hmm, that's amazing! From now on, you're also a member of the Demon Slayer Corps! Let's work hard together!" Kyojuro said enthusiastically after hearing Musashi's narration.
"Yes!" Musashi replied respectfully.
"I'm going home today, Musashi, do you want to come along?" After discussing the Final Selection, Kyojuro turned to Musashi and asked.
"Eh? Can I?" Musashi asked, stunned for a moment.
"Of course! Speaking of which, my previous Tsuguko also visited my house a few times!" Kyojuro replied.
His previous Tsuguko was Mitsuri Kanroji, the current Love Hashira.
"Alright then." Musashi agreed.
On the bustling street, Musashi slowly walked with Kyojuro. As they passed a kimono shop, Kyojuro stopped and walked in, and Musashi followed him in.
So expensive…
Looking around at the price tags of the clothes in the shop, Musashi couldn't help but exclaim in his heart. Some of the clothes inside were so expensive that he couldn't afford them even if he dug herbs in the mountains for a year.
He was still wearing the clothes his mother made for him, which he had been wearing for two years now. As he grew taller, the clothes had become a bit ill-fitting.
"If the two guests see anything they like, feel free to try it on." The kimono shop assistant smiled and said to Musashi and Kyojuro after seeing them.
"Hmm, see which one you like, Musashi." Kyojuro responded and then turned to Musashi and said.
"Eh? Me?" Musashi didn't react for a moment, and after understanding, he waved his hands repeatedly and said, "No need, the clothes I'm wearing are still wearable, and the clothes here are too expensive…"
"Try this one." Kyojuro seemed not to hear Musashi's words and handed him a white kimono.
"Alright…" Musashi saw that he couldn't refuse, so he took the clothes and tried them on.
His black long hair was tied into a high ponytail, his face was handsome and resolute, he wore white clothes, and the flame pattern on his forehead added a touch of mystery.
After changing into these clothes, Musashi instantly became a graceful samurai.
"Very good, you look much more energetic, let's take this one!" Kyojuro took a look, then took out banknotes and paid the shopkeeper.
"Rengoku-sensei…" Musashi opened his mouth. He didn't expect Kyojuro to be buying clothes for him.
"Consider this a gift to congratulate you on passing the Final Selection. Keep up the good work!" Kyojuro smiled and patted Musashi's head.
An indescribable warmth enveloped Musashi, feeling like a sun suddenly appearing in a cold night, dispelling darkness and cold, illuminating the world, and bringing warmth.
Musashi felt his nose sting a little. From Kyojuro, he experienced feelings he had never had before. What were these feelings like? A teacher? An older brother? A father? A senior? Or perhaps all of them.
…
At the entrance of the Rengoku residence
Musashi followed Kyojuro here. In the courtyard, a young man who looked similar to Kyojuro was cleaning the yard.
Upon seeing Kyojuro, Senjuro happily ran over.
"Big brother."
Is this Rengoku-sensei's younger brother? He really does look like him.
Musashi thought as he watched Senjuro run over.
"You've grown taller, Senjuro, how have you been recently?" Kyojuro smiled and asked Senjuro.
Hearing Kyojuro's words, Senjuro lowered his head somewhat dejectedly.
"I still can't learn the sword techniques Big Brother taught me. I don't think I'm suited to be a swordsman. My talent in this area is too poor." Senjuro said in a low mood.
"It's alright, there's no need to be sad about it. Everyone has things they're not good at. Just follow the path you believe is right. As your older brother, I'll always support you!" Kyojuro said, patting Senjuro's shoulder upon hearing his words.
Hearing Kyojuro's encouragement, Senjuro raised his head, and the negativity and disappointment on his face had disappeared.
"Mm!"
After exchanging pleasantries with Senjuro, Kyojuro introduced Musashi and Senjuro to each other.
"This is my Tsuguko, Musashi. This is my younger brother, Senjuro."
The two greeted each other, and then the three walked into the mansion together.
As soon as they entered the mansion, a scruffy middle-aged man with a beard came out, carrying a sake flask.
"Father." Kyojuro respectfully called out.
"Still doing that foolish Demon Slayer Corps work? How utterly boring!" Shinjuro Rengoku glanced at Kyojuro, said this, and then was about to go out to buy sake.
Shinjuro's words made Musashi feel a bit uncomfortable, but he was Kyojuro's father after all, so Musashi couldn't say anything.
Shinjuro was about to leave when he suddenly saw the Demon Slayer Mark on Musashi's forehead behind Kyojuro. He then froze for a moment, then said in a somewhat dejected tone:
"Hehehe, what good is it even if you develop Demon Slayer Mark? It's just futile. In the end, you'll just be a short-lived Demon." After saying this, he staggered out the door.
For some reason, Musashi heard a sense of loneliness in his tone, but what he said about Demon Slayer Mark made Musashi feel a bit confused.
"Rengoku-sensei…" Musashi looked at Kyojuro with some concern. It must be very painful for one's actions not to be recognized by one's family. As for Shinjuro's later remark about him being a short-lived Demon, he didn't care.
Kyojuro, however, looked as usual and was not surprised by this. He just looked at Shinjuro's receding back with some heartache.
Afterwards, Musashi stayed at the Rengoku family for lunch. After lunch, Kyojuro received a mission from his Kasugai Crow. Since Musashi's Nichirin Sword had not yet been forged, he could not go on this mission with Kyojuro.
Returning to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters alone, Musashi ran into an acquaintance as soon as he reached the entrance of the headquarters—the rooster-haired boy he had met during the Final Selection.
The rooster-haired boy also saw him, then snorted coldly and turned to leave, which made Musashi give up the idea of greeting him.
Ten days later, a man wearing a straw hat and a Hyottoko mask came to find Musashi.
"I am Tetsuimaru, a swordsmith from the Swordsmith Village, and I have been ordered to deliver the forged Nichirin Sword to Swordsman Musashi."